Japanese senior citizens are finding themselves with boundless free time and are using it to take part in photography clubs often featuring nude models.

The final portion of this piece on older Japanese men and their infatuation with nude photography clubs sees me actually attending one. However, this wasn't that easy as most explicitly do not allow reporters on site.

I asked a promoter about this rule.

“It's not that what we're doing is inherently bad, but it certainly is something of a gray zone and we'd rather not have it stand out that much.”

He makes a point. I do recall a case in Nagoya not that long ago about the owner of a nude photography club being arrested for violating public indecency laws. There also was the case in Tokyo of a high school student posing in a swimsuit for a similar even that caused a law enforcement-related incident. None of the people attending the event were apprehended so visiting one appears to be safe—at least for the time being.

Ogawa-san was a big help in that regard. He gave me access to a private photography club internet community that was the nexus of many such clubs across the nation. To remain somewhat under the radar, many only held events on weekdays. The list of events was huge and they did make sure nobody underage was taking part. While on the site, I decided to look into the costs which varied wildly from model to model.

“Most sessions run about 45 minutes and cost each attendant about 10,000 yen (approximately $100USD). Rates go up a lot when the session features an AV star since she's essentially doing a major service to her fans. Fans flock to these sessions as it gives them an opportunity to photograph their favorite adult video star up close and personal—and sometimes they can even direct her in posing.”

By ways somewhat covert, I found a way to take part in a shooting session. Thanks to the site Ogawa-san introduced me to, I requested to join a nude photography club in Tokyo. A reply to my request was received almost instantaneously with directions to the studio.

The directions were spot-on. The event was held at a home studio with a very nice living room setup. Even the lighting was complete and ready to go. There were over 20 outfits for the model to wear and all we had to do was wait for her arrival.

Before long she graced our presence. Today's nude model was a slim women in her 20's. Greetings were quick to make way for shooting. She started posing in a party dress I suggested and did so with a nonstop smile. A frown or look of boredom never surfaced. When asked, she admitted she was something of an extreme masochist in her private life.

I was almost getting too into it. There were times during the shooting where I found myself ordering her around almost too much. I guess this is what happens when one feels power when wielding a camera. The experience was thrilling as more and more was shown. I must have pressed the shutter more than 240 times in that 30 minute period.

Both Mori- and Ogawa-san mentioned how nude photography clubs are best suited for older folk, but even I found it an experience even younger camera enthusiasts can truly enjoy.

(Translator's note: These events are actually pretty common. Simply searching for 撮影会 will net the sites for various 'clubs' across Japan and the phrase 'satsueikei' is very frequently a euphemism for the sessions where a model gets naked. Foreigners can almost certainly take part provided your Japanese is at the level where you can navigate the sites these clubs run.)

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